Bed motion for printing presses



July 14, 1925.

M. A. DROITCOUR BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 28, 1923 3 SheetsSheet 1 July 14, 1925.

M. A. DROITCOUR BED MOTION FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed March 28, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 14, 1925.

M. A. DROITCQUR BED MOTION FOR PRINTING'PRESSES Filed March 28, 192-3 I5 Sheet s-Sheet 5 A m8 Q lnvenior Patented July 14, 1925.

UNiT-EEZD STATES MIGEAEL ANDREW DEOTTCOUB, OF EROVIDENCE, R-HODE IS ND.

BED MOTION FUR PRINTING PR-ESSES.

I Application filed. Ma ch as; 1923. Se ial No. 628,374.

To aZZ 10 7mm it may cancer nu.

Be it kno'wnthat I, MIorrAnL A. Dnorrcoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhone Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed Motions for Printing Presses; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. i

This invention is anovel improvement in bed and cylinder sheet printing that class in which the reciprocating type bed is moved through the major portion of its strokes with uniform velocity and is reversed at each end of each uniform stroke by a crank movement, one means being provided for impelling the bed during the uniform portions of its strokes, and another means being provided for reversing the bed at the end of the uniform portion of each stroke, one mechanism taking control of the bed before the other releasescontrol thereof, and vice versa, so that at no time is the bed not under positive mechanical control.

The present invention has particular relation to the means for reversing the bed at the end of the uniform portion of 'each stroke, as hereinafter fully ()ther subsidiary novel objects and features of the invention are hereinafter referred to.

T will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings to enable others to adopt and use thesame, and summarize in the claims the essential features of the invention and the novel constructions, and novel combinations of parts, for all of which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a conventional side elevationof a two-revolution bed and cylinder press, equipped with my novel means for operating the type bed. I

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical top plan view of the press, with the cylinder broken away, and bed removed to more clearly show the bed movement.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of the bed driving mechanism.

Fig.

As indicated in the drawings, the bed 1 presses of frame parallel with explained.

- ing F attached to asuitable portion of i is a detail view of the sliding yoke of the press is mounted to reciprocate back and forth on suitable ways on the main frame F, beneath the cylinder 2. This cylinder is mounted on a shaft 2*} journaled in the main frame in the usual manner.

Attached to the under side of the bed 1 is a bed driving rack 2, and below and par allel with the bed driving rack 2, but laterally displaced to one side thereof, is a second bed driving rack 2 which is fixedly at tached to a hanger casting 1 securely bolted to the under side of the bed 1.

These bed racks 2, 2, are adapted to be alternately engaged by a piston 3" on a shaft 3 which is journaled in suitable hearings in or. attached to the main frame of the press. The outer end of shaft 3 extends through the frameat the drive side of the. machine,

and is journaled in bushing 3 which pro- 7 jects outside of the frame, and on this bushing is mounted a smaller pinion 3 carrying a larger pinion 3 which pinions are securely fastened together, or may be formed integral. Pinion 3 meshes with a pinion 4: on the main drive shaft 4, which is ournaled, in suitable bearings in the main but below and to one side' of the shaft 3, and below the cylinder shaft 2 and bed, and is hereinafter re ferred to. f

Attached to or formed on the gear 3 is a hub 3 which is provided with opposite internal key ways or grooves 3 (Fig. 5) which are adaptedtobe engaged by splines '3 on a collar 3 keyed to the shaft 3. This construction permits the shaft 3 to be bodily moved longitudinally transversely of the press without becoming disengaged from the hub 3 and thereby shifts the gear 3, at the proper times, from position to engage rack 2 into position to engage rack 2 and vice versa. This shaft 3'may be shifted at the proper times by any suitable means, but preferably, in the construction shown, I provide the shaft with a grooved collar 3 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is engaged by a pin or roller 5 on one arm 5 30f a rocking lever having a portion 5 journaled in a bearthe main frame adjacent but below shaft 3, and to the 'part 5 is attached a second arm 5, carrying a crank pin or roller 5 which engages a grooved cam 5 on a shaft 5 suitably journale'd in the main frame Shaft 53 has a gear '5 on'one end meshing with the pinion 3 on shaft 3, see Figs. 1 and 2.

The pinion 3 and gear 5 and cam are so shaped and proportioned that at the proper times the shaft 3 will be moved longitudinally in or out to shift pinion 3 into position to engage rack 2, or rack 2 and shaft 3 then caused to dwell in such position until the pinion 3 is about to disengage the rack 2 (or 2), and the bed reversing means (hereinafter explained) takes control thereof. The shaft 3 is shifted longitudinally during the time when the pinion 3" is disengaged from both racks 2, 2, and while the bed is being reversed at the end of each uniform stroke thereof.

The bed reversing mechanism.

The racks 6, 6, however, are preferably wider than the racks 2, or 2. These racks 6, 6, are adapted tobe alternately engaged with a reversing pinion 6 keyed to a shaft 6 journaled in suitable bearings on the main frame of the press. On the shaft 6 is a gear 6 which meshes with a reciprocable reversing rack '7 attached to a yoke member 7, which ismounted to slide in suitable longitudinally disposed guides 18, and 18, securely attached to suitable supports on the main frame of the press, so that yoke 7* can be reciprocated longitudinally of the press beneath the bed,'and will transmit corresponding reciprocal movement to the rack 7 As shown, yoke 7 is a scotch yoke being provided with a slot 7 in which is mounted a slidable block 7", engaged by a crank pin 7 on a'crank gear 8" mountedon ashaft 8 which .is journaled in suitable bearings on the frame of the press. The gear 8 'meshes with a pinion 4t on'the main drive shaft d (Fig. 3) and gears 8, 4:, are so proportioned that at each reversing movement of the bed 1 the crank gear 8 makes a revolution during the time that the rack 6 or (3 is engaged withthe pinion 6".

To keep the yoke in line under the strain of reverse,racks 18 and 18 are attached to the upper and lower guides 18 18, adjacent the sides of the yoke, and these racks are engaged by pinions 7 and 7 (Figs. 3 and 4)-which are journaled on-studs 7 and 7, attached to the yoke 7 beside the slot 7. The gears 7", 7 mesh with each other and gear 7 meshes with the rack 18 and the gear 7 iv with rack 18 and keep the yoke from cramping under the strain of the reverse and insures its-moving uniformly during the reverse operations.

The cylinder 2 may be driven by a gear 12 on shaft 2 meshing with the intermediate pini'on 3 on sleeve 3*, which interme diate pinion 3 also meshes with the gear explanation.

While the bed movement is adapted for use with any type of press either stop, cylin der, drum or two-revolution press the ex ample shown is a 2-revolution press, and the printing is effected during the stroke of the bed to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, during which time the cylinder would make one revolution; then the impression would be thrown offpref erably by raising the cylinder in the" well known manner and by any suitable means which are well known and therefore it is unnecessary to illustrate and describe them.

herein, the same forming no part of my present invention; and durlng thls return stroke of the bed to the right while the cylinder continues to rotate in the same direction no printing is done. During such return stroke of the bed the printed sheet is discharged from the cylinder in the usual manner, by any suitable means, not shown, as these are well known and form no part of the present invention.

Operation.

Starting with the parts in the position as shown in Fig. 3 the bed driving gear 8 has just engaged the first left hand end tooth of rack 2 and the bed reversing gear 6" is just disengaging the last right hand end tooth of the reversing rack 6 at that moment the rack 7 is being moved by the yoke'7 (under action of the crankpin 7) at such speed that the pinion 6 is turning at the same peripheral speed as the pinion 3 and in the same direction as the pinion 3? so that the bed is moving to the left on its printing stroke.

The bed 1 is moved to the left with uniform speed by the action of gear 8- and rack 2, and during this movement of the bed an impression is taken on a sheet of paper on the cylinder 2 from a suitable printing sur face on the type bed, in the usual manner.

At the end of the printing stroke the pinion 3 nuns out of engagement with rack 2, but the bed continues to be moved to the left under the action of pinion (3 and rack 6*, but with gradually decreasing speed, as rack '7 is slowed down by the movement of the crank pin 7 from one end of the guide slot 7 to position opposite right hand side of shaft 8, the gear 8 during this time turning reached the opposite end of the guide slot) the yoke moves the rack 7 to the left at gradually accelerating speed, and this reverses the direction of rotation of the pinion 6* while in mesh with rack 6 and starts the bed to move to the right with gradually increasing speed until by the time the crank pin 7 has reached the other end of the guide slot gear 8 has made 180 of revolution and the bed is then moving to theright.

During such reversing movement, and while the pinion 3 is disengaged from both racks 2, 2 the cam 5 oscillates the lever 5- 5 so as t! move the shaft 3 longitudinally inward, thereby moving the pinion 3"" from position for engagement with the rack 2 into position for engagement wit-h the rack 2. At the conclusion of such rerersal movement, and just before the pinion 6 disengages the right hand end tooth of the rack 6, the pinion 3 engages the right hand end tooth of the rack 2, and as and when. pinion 6 fully disengages: rack 6 pinion 3 is fully engaged with rack 2 and takes control of the'bed and moves it to the right on its return stroke until the right hand endtooth of rack 6 comes into position to engage with the pinion 6 preparatory to the next reversal of the bed. I

During the return movement of the bed to the right the cylinder ought to be off impression. This may be accomplished in any of the usual ways as by bodily raising the cylinder or by lowering the bed. I preferably employ suitable means for raising and lowering the cylinder, but such means form no part of the present invention and is Well understood and needs no explanation herein,

the invention being readily applicable to vai rions different kinds of presses, either two revolution, drum, or stop cylinder presses.

Before pinion 3 disengages the left hand end tooth of the rack 2 pinion 6 engages the right hand end tooth of rack 6, (see Fig. 3) and when pinion 3 fully disengages rack 2 the bed is under control of pinion 6 and rack 6. Pinion 6 is then rotating to the left under the action of the yoke at the same peripheral speed as pinion 3, and pinion 6 is slowed down, stopped and reversed (under the action of rack 7 crank pin 7 and scotch yoke 7) as above described, so that the bed is gradually brought to a stop and then started back to the right, and its movement gradually accelerated until it attains full speed, which happens just before the pinion 6 disengages rack 6. Mean-while during this reversing movement of the bed and while pinion 3 is disengaged from both racks 2, 2, cam again shifts the shaft 3 longitudinally so as to move pinion 3 from position to engage rack 2 into position to engage rack 2'; and before pinion 6 disengages rack 6 pinion 8f" again engages rack 2 as indicated'in full lines in Fig. 3, and continues to move the bed to the left with uniform velocity.

Thus, the bed is moved during the maj or or unifor n portion of each stroke by the action vof the continuously driven pinion 3* and rack 2', or 2 and is reversed with a true crank motion at each end of each stroke by the action of pinion 6 and rack 6 or 6.

By this construction I obtain the greatly desired results of smoothness and ease of re versal; and balancing of motions of oppo sitely moving parts, as the yoke is moved opposite to the bed during the reverse. The bed driving gear is keyed to shaft 3 and the shaft can be bodily shifted to move the bed driving gear to position to engage either the upper or lower'rack at the time when this bed driving shaft has: no labor to perform, and while the bed is underthe control of the reverse mechamsm.

1 bodilyshift the'sha'ft 3 and parts thereon. This enables the shaft to be very solidly join-na led. The single intermediate gear attached to the sleeve imparts motion to the cylinder, tothe bed driving gear shaft, and to the cam shaft; and this makes a very simple compact and eiii'cient construction. The strainlof the reverse is transn'iitted to the yoke by the block 7 at all points of its travel and the strain would ordinarily tend to force the yoke out of square and cause it to bind; but by having all the gears in substantially the same plane of movement any tendency to force the yoke side ways is overcome by theintermeshing pinions 7-", 'Z engaging the fixed racks 18, 18

What I claim is:

1. In a bed movement, upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a pinion on said shaft adapted to mesh with either rack, means for bodily shifting the shaft longitudinally to move the bed driving gear-from position for engagement with one rack into position to engage the other rack, a non-rotatable bushing in which the outer end of the shaft is journaled, a pinion loosely mounted on said bushing, a driving shaft, a pinion thereon meshing with the pinion on said bushing, and means whereby the said longitudinally movable shaft is caused to rotate by and with the pinion loosely mounted on the bushing, substantially as d scribed.

2. In a bed movement, upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a' pinion on said shaft adapted to mesh with either rack, means for bodily shifting the shaft longitudinally to move the bed driving gear from position for engagement with one rack into position to engage the other rack, a non-rotatable bushing in which the outer end of the shaft is journaled, a pinion loosely mounted on said bushing, a driving shaft, a pinion thereon meshing with the pinion on said bushing, means whereby the said longitudinally movable shaft is caused to rotate. by and with the pinion loosely mounted on the bushing; and means for reversing the bed at the ends of its strokes while the bed driving gear is out of mesh with the racks, substantially as described.

3. In a bed movement; upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a bed driving gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh with either rack, a cam shaft, a cam thereon, and means operated by said cam for shifting the longitudinally movable shaft to move the bed driving gear from position to engage one rack into position to engage the other rack; a non-rotatable bushing in which the longitudinally movable shaft is journaled, a pair of pinions mounted on said bushing, a gear on the cam shaft meshing with one of the pair of pinions, a main shaft, a gear thereon meshing with the other of said pair of pinions, and a driving connection between one of saidcpair of pinions and the longitudinally movable shaft, whereby the latter is caused to rotate, substantially as described.

I. In a bed movement; upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a bed driving gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh with either rack, a cam shaft, a cam thereon, and means operated by said cam for shifting the longitudinally movable shaft to move the bed driving gear from position to engage one rack into position to engage the other rack; a non-rotatable bushing in which the longitudinally movable shaft is journaled, a pair of pinions mounted on said bushing, a gear on the cam shaft meshing with one of the pair of pinions, a main shaft, a gear thereon meshing with the other of said pair of pinions, a driving connect-ion between one of said pair of pinions and the longitudinally movable shaft, whereby the latter is caused to rotate; and means for reversing the bed at the ends of its strokes while the bed drivof the bed; a non-rotatable bushing in which the longitudinally movable shaft is journaled, a pinion on said bushing, a gear on the cam shaft meshing with said pinion, a second pinion on said bushing fast to the first pinion, a main shaft, a gear thereon meshing with said second pinion, aspline connection between the hub of the latter pinion and the longitudinally movable shaft, whereby the latter is caused to rotate with said pinion, and a gear on the cam shaftmeshing with said second pinion, substantially as described.

6. In a bed movement; upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a gear on said shaft adapted to mesh with either rack, a cam shaft, a cam thereon, a lever operated by said cam and adapted to bodily shift the longitudinally movable shaft to move the. gear thereon from position to engage one rack into position to engage the other during the reversals of the bed; a non-rotatable bushing in which the longitudinally movable shaft is journalled, a pinion on said bushing, a gear on the cam shaft meshing with said pinion, a second pinion on said bushing fast to the first pinion, amain shaft, a gear thereon meshing with said second pinion, a spline connection between the hub of the latter pinion, and the longitudinally movable shaft, whereby the latter is caused to rotate with said pinion, a gear on the cam shaft meshing with said second pinion; and means for reversing the bed at the end of each stroke and while the bed driving gear is out of mesh with the racks, substantially as described.

7. In a bed movement, a bed, means for moving the bed during the major portion of each-stroke, comprising a pair of opposed racks and a continuously rotating pinion adapted to be alternately engaged with such racks; with means for reversing the bed while the pinion is disengaged from both racks, said reversing means comprising a pair of reversing racks attached to the bed, a pinion adapted to alternately engage said reversing racks, a reciprocable rack bar en gaging said pinion and adapted to cause it to slow down, stop, and reverse the bed at the end of the major portion of each stroke, said rack bar moving in a direction opposite to the movement of the bed during each reverse; a scotch yoke connected with said rack, and a crank for actuating the yoke.

8. Incoinbinationwith a bed, and means for reciprocating the bed during the major part of each stroke, of a bed reversing mechanism comprising short racks attached to the bed adjacent opposite ends thereof, a pinion adapted to alternately engage the reversing racks, a shaft carrying said pinion, a gear on said shaft, a reciprocating rack meshing with said gear, a slidable scotch yoke connected with said rack, a crank pin engaging the yoke to impart reoipi ocatory movements thereto, pinions carriedby said yoke, and fixed racks adjacent the yoke re spectively meshed by said pinions, substantially as described;- 1

9 In com'bination,-a bed; nieaii'sfor niov ing the bed with uniforiiispeed during the major portion of each Snare, comprising a pair of bed driving racks, a bed driving gear, andmeans for shifting said gear from position to engage one rack into position to engage the other during the reversal of the bed; with means for reversing the bed, comprising reversing rack attached to the bed adjacent each end thereof, a pinion below both reversing racks and adapted to alternately engage said reversing racks, a slidable rack bar for imparting an oscillating motion to said pinion to cause it to slow down, stop, and reverse the bed at the end of each stroke, while the bed driving gear is out of mesh with both bed driving racks, said rack bar moving in a direction opposite to the movement of the bed during each reverse, a scotch yoke connected with said rack, and a crank for actuating the slidable yoke.

10. In combination a bed, and means for reciprocating the bed with uniform speed during the major part of each stroke, com prising a pair of racks, a bed driving gear, and means for shifting said gear from position to engage one rack to position to engage the other during the reversals of the bed, with a bed reversing mechanism comprising short racks attached to the bed adjacent op posite end thereof, a pinion adapted to alternately engage the reversing racks, a shaft carrying said pinion, a gear on said shaft, a reciprocating rack meshing with said gear, a slidable scotch yoke connected with said rack, a crank pin engaging the yoke to impart reciprocatory movements thereto, a pair of intermeshing pinions carried by said yoke, and fixed racks adjacent the yoke respectively meshed by said pinions, substantially as described.

11. In a bed movement for printing presses; upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a pinion on said shaft adapted to mesh with either rack, means for shifting the longitudinally movable shaft to move the bed driving gear from position for engagement with one rack into position to engage the other rack, a sleeve in which said shaft is journaled, a pinion mounted on said sleeve; a driving shaft, a pinion thereon meshing with the pinion on said sleeve, and means whereby the said shaft is caused to rotate with said pinion, with means for reversing the bed comprising a pair of reversing racks attached to the bed adjacent the opposite ends of the aforesaid racks, a pinion adapted to alternately engage the reversing racks, a

slidable rack bar for imparting oscillating motion 'to said pinion to ca se it to slow down, step, and reverse" the bed at' the end of each stroke, and while the bed driving gear is out of mesh with both'ra'ckssaid rackbar moving in a direction opposite to the movement of" the bed duringeach' reverse; slidable scotch yoke connected with said rack, and a" cran'li for" actuating" the slid able yoke;

12. In" a bed movement; upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a bed driving gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh with either rack, a cam shaft, a cam thereon, means operated by said cam for shifting the longitudinally movable shaft to move the bed driving gear from position to engage one rack into position to engage the other rack; a sleeve in which the longitudinally movable shaft is j-ournaled; a pair of pinions mounted on said sleeve, a gear on the cam shaft meshing with one of the pair of pinions, a main shaft, a gear thereon meshing with the other of said pair of pinions, and a driving connection between one of said pair of pinions-and the longitudinally movable shaft whereby the latter is caused to rotate; with means for reversing the bed while the bed driving gear is out of mesh with the racks at either end thereof, comprising short racks attached tothe bed adjacent opposite ends of the foresaid racks, a pinion adapted to alternately engage the reversing racks, a shaft carrying said pinion, a gear on said shaft, a reciprocating rack meshing with said gear, a slidable scotch yoke connected with sa d rack, a crank pin engaging the yoke to impart reciprocatory movements thereto, a pair of intermeshing pinions carried by said yoke and fixed racks adjacent the yoke respectively meshed by said pinions.

13. In a bed movement; a rack connected with the bed, a pinion adapted to engage said rack, a slidable rack for causing said pinion when engaged with said rack to slow down, stop, and reverse the bed, a slidable scotch yoke for actuating said rack, a crank pin engaging the yoke to impart a reciprocatory movement thereto, fixed racks adjacent the yoke, and pinions carried by said yoke meshing with said fixed racks.

14. In a bed movement, a rack connected with the bed, a pinion adapted to engage said rack, a slidable scotch yoke, a rack connected with the yoke and adapted to cause said pinion to slow down, stop, and reverse the bed, a crank pin engaging the slot in the yoke to impart a reciprocatory movement thereto, fixed racks adjacent the 1 guides of the yoke, and a pair of intermeshing pinions carried by said yoke and respectively meshing with said fixed racks.

15. In a bed movement; upper and lower racks attached to the bed, a longitudinally movable shaft, a bed driving gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh With either rack, and means for shifting the longitudinally movable shaft to move the bed driving gear from position to engage one rack into position to engage the other rack; a non-rotatable bushing in Which the longitudinally movable shaft is journaled a pinion mounted on said bushing having a pro- I jecting hub, said hub being splined to said shaft to permit the latter to move longi tudinally as it is rotated by the gear; a main shaft, and a driving connection between said main shaft and the said pinion whereby the latter is caused to rotate and drive the longitudinally movable shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

MICHAEL ANDREWV DROITCOUR. 

